One of my all time favorite projects we’ve completed is this small landscape installation in downtown Ridgefield.
There are so many things I get excited about when we visit this property for our regular garden maintenance visits.
For one, the house and location are awesome. The covered front porch, just feet from the sidewalks that lead to the stores and restaurants, is just fantastic. You have an opportunity to watch life stroll by and even have a conversation with your neighbors, right from the comfort of your front porch. The setup really gives you a sense of community.
Because of the postage stamp sized lot, we were able to design and landscape every corner of the property which isn’t often the case.
The homeowners were very receptive towards embracing the Victorian architecture. When I explained that a typical Victorian era landscape would have been filled with bedding plants or what we call now annuals, looked like, they were all in. They were really considering an all annual landscaped that would have changed 2, if not 3, times a year. Although I appreciated their commitment and dedication to honor the past and their architectural style, I explained to them that I felt that it just wasn’t realistic in this day and age. The compromise I suggested for the new landscape was a combination of a third trees and shrubs, a third perennials that come back every year and dedicate a third of the gardens towards annuals. This would minimize maintenance costs moving forward, give the house some winter and early spring interest but would also give them an unbelievable flower display every season. It would gave them an opportunity to change the look and feel of the garden multiple times every season and every year. Every winter, the homeowners decide on the color palette and then we make it happen. Planning and watching the garden change from season to season and year to year has been fun.
